


We Could Be Heroes

by softboystanley



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Bring tissues, M/M, its not really a death cause wills fine but they think hes dead so, karen is a good mom, little bit of a trigger warning cause theres a body obv, mikes kinda a jerk but like grief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 16:46:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15778083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softboystanley/pseuds/softboystanley
Summary: Will Byers's body is pulled from the quarry and Mike deals with his grief.





	We Could Be Heroes

**Author's Note:**

> so this is sad but like will isnt even dead so i mean,,,
> 
> also the most of the dialogue and settings are canon (as in I took em right from the scene) but theres some lines at the end that I did and all of mikes thoughts are my own ideas

Mike was pedaling as fast as he could. Lucas, Dustin, El and he were chasing after the sheriff’s car, hoping they would be lead to Will. Mike was struggling because not only was he pedaling himself but also El, who had no bike and was forced to ride with Mike on his. They came up and over the hill to see a couple of ambulances, several cop cars, and a group of people gathered by the edge of the quarry. They pulled their bikes to a stop behind one of the ambulances without being seen. Mike saw Sheriff Hopper at the front of the group. He saw a body be placed onto a stretcher that was then pulled out of the water. The body was limp and lifeless, almost like a ragdoll. 

 

“It’s not Will. It can’t be.” Mike couldn’t believe what was happening. Merely days ago, Will was in Mike’s basement, happy and smiling, not a care in the world. Now, Mike was staring at Will’s body. He felt a lump in his throat as he pushed back tears.  _ He can’t be dead _ Mike thought.  _ El told us he was alive, why would she lie?  _

 

“It’s Will.” Mike could hear Lucas voice start to shake. “It’s really Will.” 

 

Mike wanted to scream. He wanted to scream and yell and throw things around. He wanted the world to go away. He wanted to be at Will’s house, having a sleepover, talking about their next Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Mike wanted to be anywhere but the edge of the quarry surrounded by all his friends except for his best friend, who was dead in a stretcher, a few yards away. 

 

“Mike.” El placed a hand on Mike’s shoulder, sympathetically. 

 

Mike slapped her hand away with such force that he could see the fear in her eyes. He felt bad but he didn’t care. Will should be here, not her. “Mike? Mike what?” 

 

He was furious now. He couldn’t stop yelling at poor El. He knew he was hurting her but he couldn’t stop. “You were supposed to help us find him alive. You said he was alive.”

 

Mike felt the lump in his throat swell. Tears stung at his eyes. “Why did you lie to us? What’s wrong with you? What is wrong with you?” He saw tears form in El’s eyes but he couldn’t give two fucks. Will was dead and that’s all that matters right now. 

 

“Mike.” El barely whispered. 

 

“What.” Mike spat. 

 

El shook her head. Mike stomped away. 

 

“Mike, come on. Don’t do this, man. Mike..” Lucas was near tears. Mike knew that Lucas and Dustin were hurting too but they weren’t hurting like him. They didn’t feel the way Mike did. 

 

“Mike where are you going?” Dustin choked on his tears. “Mike!” 

 

Mike grabbed his bike and ran. He heard his friends pleas for him to stay and not leave them but he didn’t care. He didn’t even know if he was capable of caring after that. It was too much. Will Byers was too young. Too sweet and innocent. He didn’t deserve to go out like this. He imagined the police would pull some bullshit about how Will slipped and fell and hit his head on a rock. Part of Mike still believed El. Partly because he had a bit of a crush on her but also he could feel that Will was still alive. Mike imagined Will, cold and alone, lost in the forest. Or tied up in some sicko’s basement like he had seen once on the news. Mike couldn’t bare thinking about Will being cold or hurt or starving, it made him sick to his stomach. 

 

Mike pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his brain, instead choosing to focus on the nice memories he had with Will. Like the first time they met, back in kindergarten. 

 

_ He was alone on the playground. He looked around and saw every other kid playing with a friend. Mike felt so alone and scared, until he saw another little boy alone on the swings. He remembered walking up to the other boy and asking.  _

 

_ “Do you want to be my friend?” Mike just asked.  _

 

_ “Yes.” The other boy said with a smile on his face. Mike grinned from ear to ear as he took a swing next to the boy.  _

 

_ “I’m Mike Wheeler.”  _

 

_ “Will Byers.”  _

 

_ It was the best thing he’s ever done.  _

  
  


Mike smiled to himself. Will was so cute back then. Will’s body in the stretcher flashed in Mike’s mind. The tears returned to his eyes.  _ Keep it together, Wheeler.  _ He had to make it home before he could let the sadness consume him. He tried to think of another memory. Their last conversation before Will died.  _ Disappeared.  _ Mike corrected himself. 

 

_ Lucas and Dustin had just biked away but Will stayed.  _

 

_ “It was a seven.” Will said.  _

 

_ “Huh.”  _

 

_ “The roll, it was a seven.” Will never lied. “The Demogorgon, it got me.” And then Will biked away, but before he backed out of Mike’s driveway he looked back. “See you tomorrow.” He smiled.  _

 

But Mike never saw him tomorrow. He saw him days later in a stretcher. It wasn’t the Demogorgon that got him. But the quarry. Mike wanted to travel back in time and grab Will before he left and invite him to sleep over. That way, Will would never fall of his bike, Will would never got lost in the woods, and Mike would never have to see Will’s body in a stretcher. 

 

Before Mike even knew it, he was home. He dropped his bike in the driveway and ran into his house. He slammed the door behind him. 

 

“Michael?” His mom said. He turned to face her. “What’s wrong?” 

 

Mike couldn’t get the words out. They caught in his throat. Tears built in his eyes. He held his arms out for a hug. It was the only thing he could do. His mom enveloped him in a bear hug, as if she already knew what was wrong. He let the sadness consume his every thought. He cried in his mom’s shoulder. He thought of cute little Will alone on the swingset. He cried harder. 

 

“It can’t be true.” He whispered. “It can’t be.” 

 

“It’s okay sweetie.” His mom calmed him. 

 

“I loved him, Mom.” Mike cried. “And now he’s gone.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I really hoped you liked this
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated


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